Banished
by Missy the Cat
Summary: Amy was still banished from Hill Top Village and living in Chaos City for almost a year, helping with the rebuilding and learning more of the world outside of the boarders of the Mobius Realm. While being close to Mobius means that Amy can spend a lot of time with Sonic, but it didn't occur to her at first to wonder why she was spending almost as much time with Shadow. SonAmyShad.
1. Chapter 1

A SonAmyShad Story.

Chapter 1.

Please Review.

No Flames.

* * *

Shadow is a 22 year old muscular black hedgehog with red stripes on his quills, around the edges of his eyes, and on his arms and legs, has crimson-red eyes, a patch of white fur on his chest, and his muzzle is tan, has six quills on his head, four of which curve upwards and two that curve downwards, two spines on his back, and a small tail. In his usual outfit, Shadow wears white gloves with black cuffs and red tongues, and air shoes which, like his gloves, have black cuffs and orange-red tongues, on each of his wrists and ankles, he wears a single gold rings.

Sonic is a 20 year old muscular hedgehog with blue fur that covers most of his body, peach skin that covers his arms, muzzle and front torso, and emerald-green eyes, has six long quills on the back of his head, two spines protruding from his back behind his shoulders, and a short tail. In his usual outfit, Sonic wears two light-weight, hyper friction resistant red sneakers with white cuffs around the ankles, gray soles, and white straps across the top, the last of which are held down by a golden buckle on each foot. He also wears a pair of white gloves with sock-like cuffs on his hands.

Amy Rose is an 18 curvy pink-furred hedgehog with jade-green eyes and peach skin on her muzzle and arms, quills that reached her knees. For usual outfit that was resting on rocks nearby, a red hairband, and a red one piece top with a white collar, yellow buttons on the her left side and a lavender sarashi around her waist. She also wears white gloves, purple sports tape and golden ring bracelets around her wrists, purple stockings, and red-violet shoes with pink soles and toes, gray straps and pink plate with two yellow buttons on top.

Blaze is a 19 year oldf lavender-furred, anthropomorphic cat with gold eyes, her muzzle is white, her inner ears are peach colored and the tip of her long tail dark purple. Her fur is longer on each side of her head and sweeps slightly upwards. She has four plumes of "hair" done up in a high ponytail with dark purple tips. In her usual outfit, she wears a long, purple, flared, mantle-like coat of sorts with a dark pink hemline, white tights, a gold collar, a red hairband and a similarily red gem on her forehead. She also wears white gloves with fuzzy cuffs and high heeled, dark pink shoes with white stripes and also fuzzy cuffs.

Sticks is an 11 year old badger only slightly shorter than Amy as she has orange fur with long thick fur on the back of her head, which she keeps in two locks with auburn strings, and two brown stripes across each of her eyes and bushy round ears that reach the end of her fur. Additionally, she has a peach muzzle with a small black nose, blue eyes and a medium-long bushy tail. In her usual outfit, a tube top and a skirt with an auburn rope belt, each made of worn-down grey fabric stitched together, and tan fur-skin boots, one which has a fur cuff and the other which has metal bands on it. As accessories, she wears a golden band on her right upper arm, a spiral bracelet on her left wrist and a necklace braided with seashells and a gold rings.

Jebediah is a 39 year old badger, dark brown stripes of fur across each of his eyes, over his head and down his neck. Unlike Sticks though, Jebediah's ears were not fuzzy and his tail was much shorter, also seemingly taller and had a short, yet smooth mustache. In his usual outfit, he wore a high-class suit consisting of a small bowler hat, a highly decorated vest with two buttons, a jacket, a neckerchief, and dark shoes with bright gaiters over them.

Wild Cat is an 14 year old cat of average height with atomic tangerine fur, tan fur on his front torso and short muzzle, dark stripes on his tail, and light brown eyes. He possesses two bangs of fur across his forehead, a spike of fur tufted twice at its tip on both sides of his head and his neck, and a small black nose. His attire consists of white gloves with small cuffs, a red belt with a pocket on one side, large baggy grey socks and red shoes.

Espio is a 25 year old purple chameleon with a yellow horn between his eyes, golden eyes and a ridge of three black scales down his spine and a coiled tail. He wears dark purple and black shoes with elaborate cuffs, white gloves with a purple back, and studded bands around his wrists and ankles.

Zachary is a 67 year old white echidna, purple eyes, wearing white gloves, yellow and purple sneakers.

Ray is 29 years old, has golden yellow fur and dark tan skin on his muzzle, inner ears and front torso, black eyes, a small tapered hair tuft at the top back of his head (making it appear somewhat teardrop-shaped), a furry skin membrane connecting his waist to his lower arms, small, perky triangular ears, a shiny, bulbous black nose and a long club-shaped tail, in his usual outfit, white gloves with large cuffs, red sneakers with a white buckle-strap, and white sock-like tops. These shoes are almost identical to Sonic's shoes, but are a slightly darker shade of red.

Simon is a 72 year old echidna that has red fur, blue eyes, peach skin and cybernetic left arm, wearing a grey jacket and brown shoes.

Charles is a 48 mobian middle-aged hedgehog who bares many physical similarities to Sonic, such as blue fur (although Chuck's is a few shades lighter than Sonic's), has a thick, grey mustache that obscures his mouth, as well as similarly thick, grey eyebrows, arching over his blue eyes. In his usual outfit, a maroon colored, slightly pointed shoes with two dark yellow straps and and white cuffs, and, like most other of his species, white gloves.

...

Mobian.

Day Time.

"Did Sonic give you this?" Blaze asked, eagerly.

"No." Amy said.

Amy watched Blaze as she tilted the brooch with both hands so that it glimmered in the candlelight.

"That was from Shadow." Amy said.

"From Shadow?" Sticks asked, goggling at her curiously. "Is he courting you too?"

"No." Amy said, not able to hide her shock at the question.

...

11 months after The War and Amy is still banished from Hill Top Village and living in Chaos City, helping with the rebuilding and learning more of the world outside of the boarders of the Mobius Realm.

Of course, the close proximity to Mount Splatterhorn means that Amy can spend a lot of time with Sonic.

It didn't occur to Amy at first to wonder why she was spending almost as much time with Shadow.

...

Amy slowly came back to consciousness, blinking once in surprise to see Blaze leaning over her.

"I didn't mean to wake you." Blaze said, whispering. "I can never tell if you are asleep or not."

Amy smiled at Blaze, remembering the consternation it had caused the first time she had drifted into the Little Planet waking dreams in front of Jebediah's children.

"That's alright, Blaze." Amy said.

"Breakfast is ready." Blaze told Amy briefly, before running off into the basic but functional kitchen. Her first few mornings with Jebediah's family, all the children (and Jebediah, a little bit) had been shy of her, but she had been staying with them long enough now for that to wear off.

It had been nearly 11 months since The War, 11 months since Amy had found Shadow and Sonic on the battlefield and kept them alive long enough for help to come. 11 months since Amy's refusal to leave them had caused a rift between her and Scourge and 11 months since her banishment from Hill Top Village.

Once Jebediah had found out about that, he had been invited her to stay with his family for a while. "You saved my children when the dragon came." he said to her, his gratitude clear. "The least I can do in return is let you stay with us for a while, even if it is just a place on the floor to lay out your blanket."

Amy had agreed thankfully as she hadn't wanted to be too far from Mount Splatterhorn, from Sonic, but she struggled with constantly being under stone and away from the sky, and being around friendly faces after the horror of the battle and the separation from everyone she had ever known was a kindness she had not looked for.

Now of course, everything had changed. All of the Mobius Hedgehogs had survived, Charles had been crowned King of Mount Splatterhorn and had taken the Mobian animal, Espio the Chameleon, as his consort. Jebediah was regarded as King of Chaos City by everyone but himself and the rebuilding of the city was going well, something that Amy was helping with.

As for Sonic, he came to Chaos City to see her as often as he could, sometimes alone and sometimes with Shadow; with Charles's, if not full approval, at least without his disapproval. But she was not expecting Sonic today, so she ate some of the porridge Blaze had made (less than Blaze would have liked, not because she didn't like it, but because she didn't need as much as they did), helped Sticks plait her fur and headed out into the city to see what needed to be done that day.

Chaos City looked far more like a city than an empty shell these days. The men and women of Chaos City were bustling about in the street, clearing rubble, hammering and sawing and dozens of other never-ending tasks that the rebuilding of the city required. Every now and then she would walk by one of the Mobius teams of builders and engineers than Charles had sent down from Mount Splatterhorn to aid with the rebuilding.

Some of them eyed Amy a bit strangely, either because she was the lone Little Planet animal female in a city of Mobian animal men, or perhaps even because they had heard of her connection to their youngest prince, but Amy wasn't concerned. Amy had worked alongside them long enough now to know that they cared far more about whether she was willing to work hard with them than that she was a Little Planet Hedgehog.

While Amy wasn't an engineer or an architect, there was always work for someone able to climb and balance as well as she could.

After several hours helping the workers assemble a pulley system for lowering beams into open husks of some of the old houses, the Mobius workers started talking excitedly in Japanese. Amy looked down from where she was perched on top of the open edge of the building, ensuring that her clothes didn't get tangled on the way down.

Shadow was smiling up at Amy and she returned it, genuinely pleased to see him, before jumping down from the roof, earning a few murmurs of admiration and some good-natured grumbling from her Mobius audience.

"I didn't mean to interrupt, Rose." Shadow said, looking at Amy but directing his comment at all of the workers. "I was hoping that you would have some time to spare, but if you are needed here…"

"I'm sure we can spare you for a bit." the leader of this particular team of Mobians told her, with a sincere smile.

One of the others made a comment in Japanese that had all the workers laughing, and Shadow looking faintly embarrassed as she followed him away. "Don't worry." he said to Amy. "They were laughing at me, not you."

From left to right, Amy and Shadow walked together in a comfortable silence, one that they had developed during Shadow and Sonic's time in the healing tents. Shadow had regained consciousness first, and as terrible as his injuries had been, the damage to his head from the fall he had taken had been far more serious than his stab-wound, and he had woken to find that his younger brother and uncle were still critically ill and that he might never regain his sight.

Shadow and Amy had become friends then, in their shared concern for Sonic and because she had acted as his ruby red eyes while they had been bandaged over for their own protection. But Amy had assisted Oin to reduce the swelling in Shadow's head, and he had regained his sight back in time to see both his younger brother and uncle awaken.

Amy hadn't been able to spend much time with Shadow since he had left the healing tents, unfortunately. As soon as Shadow had been well enough to walk with a cane to aid him, he had launched himself into his duties as heir. Amy was glad that Shadow had made the journey into Chaos City today.

Shadow and Amy reached the little patch of dirt where Espio the Chameleon had planted his oak tree, and Shadow leaned against the fence that Jebediah had obligingly put up so that it was not trampled while it grew. Shadow didn't need a cane any longer, but Amy knew he still tired more easily than he would like.

"You can't see anything there yet." Shadow said.

Amy came to rest against the fence on the right side of Shadow.

"It will be some time." Amy said. "Decades until it reaches its full growth."

Shadow nodded, staring at the patch of bare earth for a moment before seeming to steal himself. "I'm sorry I haven't come to see you recently." he said, apologizing.

Amy didn't know how to reply, she wasn't sure why the idea seemed to be upsetting Shadow, and when she noticed that Shadow seemed to be waiting for an answer managed. "I understand." she said.

Shadow smiled then, his troubled frown fading away.

"Sonic told me all about the collapse in the living area. Was anyone hurt?" Amy asked.

"A few broken bones and bumped heads. Nothing fatal, thank Goodness, as no one was living in there yet, but it was a mess for a while." Shadow said.

"That's good." Amy said, relieved for their sake.

"Thank you, Rose." Shadow said. "But I still meant to give you this earlier."

Shadow handed Amy a velvet pouch to her left hand with his right hand, the fabric slightly worn but still very fine, and when she shook the contents out on to her right palm, she couldn't contain her small gasp of surprise. It was a golden brooch, made of three leaves overlapping each other, each leaf a gemstone of slightly different shades of green.

"Shadow, this is beautiful." Amy said to Shadow.

Whatever Shadow saw in Amy's face made him relax as she hadn't realized how tense he was until then.

Amy knew from what she had witnessed and overheard during her time in Mount Splatterhorn that jewelery was important to Mobians, that they exchanged special pieces between friends and family as signs of favor and friendship.

Amy wondered if Sonic had been pestering Shadow to hand it over to her. The thought made Amy smile.

"Do you accept it?" Shadow asked Amy carefully.

"I'd be honored." Amy said to Shadow.

Shadow positively beamed as Amy attached it to her upper top on the left side with both hands.

For the rest of his visit, Shadow kept glancing at it and smiling.

Later, when Amy returned to her work with the Mobius teams, she noticed them all eyeing her new brooch with interest.

"I'd heard the prince has a deft hand with jewelery." the team leader told Amy, nodding approvingly.

"He made it himself?" Amy asked in surprise, reaching up to touch it again with her right hand.

"Of course he did!" the Mobian exclaimed. "It wouldn't be proper otherwise!"

"I see." Amy said slowly, wondering what the Mobian meant by 'proper.' "Thank you for informing me."

The Mobian nodded at Amy, before sending her to climb back the building to support the pulley.

...

Evening.

The Mobians weren't the only ones who noticed her new jewelery. Blaze and Sticks noticed it as soon as she returned to Jebediah's house that evening and cooed over it.

Amy smiled, taking it off with both hands so Blaze and Sticks could have a better look as she knew that she didn't need to ask them to be careful with it.

"Did Sonic give you this?" Blaze asked, eagerly.

Amy had made no secret that Blaze thought that their relationship was adorable.

"No." Amy said to Blaze, watching as Blaze tilted it with her right hand so that it glimmered in the candlelight. "That was from Shadow."

"From Shadow?" Sticks asked, goggling at Amy curiously. "Is he courting you too?"

"No." Amy said, not able to hide her shock at the question. "It's a token of friendship."

"It's beautiful." Blaze said as she handed it back with her right hand.

For the rest of the evening, as Amy helped with the cooking and clearing away (she had been living with them for long enough that they treated her like family, not like a guest, and allowed her to help), and then told the children (and Jebediah) stories before bed, Amy couldn't get Sticks's question out of her head.

It would never have occurred to Amy before Sticks had spoken, but now she couldn't get Shadow's expression as she fastened the brooch to her shirt, or the comments from the Mobius worker out of her mind.

But Shadow couldn't be courting Amy, surely. Shadow would never do that to Sonic.

It had been a gift of friendship, nothing more, and Amy had accepted it as such. Amy resolved to put it out of her mind.

...

The Next Morning.

When Amy sat down at the breakfast table, Jebediah asked.

"Instead of helping with the building today, do you think that you could go hunting instead? We are running short of supplies and I am still struggling to persuade people to take up fishing." Jebediah asked.

"Of course." Amy said. "Though I can't blame people for thinking that the lake is haunted."

Jebediah smiled at Amy tiredly as helping him was different from serving Jules. Jebediah didn't order Amy, and she was not sworn to him, but there were a lot of burdens on him, and she would do her best to help lighten them, because after everything they had been through, they had become friends, and she respected that he had his people's best interests at heart.

In truth, as much as Amy was enjoying seeing what was beyond the borders of Hill Top Village, she missed the freedom of the woods, of being able to explore wherever she wanted, and the hunting request came just as she was starting to feel restless.

Amy wondered if Jebediah knew that when he asked her.

Amy couldn't risk crossing into Hill Top Village's territory, her banishment was still upheld, even though she knew that both Jebediah and Espio had spoken to Jules on her behalf. But Amy still managed to catch a brace of partridges, a few squirrels and set out some snares for rabbits when she heard from behind her the tread of shoes trying to be silent.

Amy smiled to herself as she would know the sound of those quick footsteps anywhere.

Amy waited with giving any sign that she had heard Sonic until he was close behind her before speaking. "Hello Sonic." she said, without turning.

Sonic groaned loudly. "One day I'll manage to sneak up on you!" he said.

Amy laughed as she faced Sonic. Aside from the scar across the bridge of his nose, Sonic appeared largely unchanged from the first time they had met.

"Maybe one day." Amy said, standing on her tippy toes as her head a little for the smacking kiss Sonic gave her. "How did you find me?" she stopped using her tippy toes.

"Jebediah sent me after you." Sonic said with a laugh. "Said something about young love. Then I saw the snares so I knew you'd be around here somewhere."

Sonic knelt down beside Amy to help her prepare the game, catching her up with all of Mount Splatterhorn's gossip. Eventually Sonic's story trailed off, and when Amy looked up he was eyeing the brooch Shadow had given her with a smile on his face.

"It suits you." Sonic said with a shrug when he realized that Amy had noticed him looking. "Shadow was worried that you wouldn't like it."

"It's beautiful." Amy said honestly.

Sonic beamed as proudly as if he had made it himself.

Uncertainty clawed at Amy again. "May I ask you something, Sonic?" she asked.

"Of course you can." Sonic said. "Anything you like."

"Did Shadow… did he intend this as a courting gift?" Amy asked, hesitantly.

Amy expected Sonic to laugh, but instead he looked at her with wide-eyed sadness.

"Of course he did!" Sonic said, shocked.

* * *

End of Chapter 1.

Please Review.

No Flames.


	2. Chapter 2

A SonAmyShad Story.

Chapter 2.

Please Review.

No Flames.

* * *

Everybody in their usual outfits.

Evening.

When Amy arrived back to Chaos City, Jebediah took the game from her gratefully, before he took a closer look at her face.

"Did something happen?" Jebediah asked Amy, concerned. "Did you and Sonic have an argument?"

"Not an argument." Amy said, still a bit shaken. "Just… a bit of a misunderstanding."

Although that was probably an understatement. Sonic had made an attempt to enlighten Amy about why Shadow was giving her courting gifts as well, before rushing back to Mount Splatterhorn to tell his older brother what had happened, leaving her just as confused as before he began his explanation.

"I'm sure it will sort itself out." Jebediah said comfortingly, patting Amy on her left shoulder with his right hand. "And if it doesn't and you want me to send him packing the next time he comes, let me know."

That made Amy smile a little as she didn't need Jebediah's protection, but it was kind of him to offer.

"That isn't necessary, but thank you." Amy said.

Jebediah nodded, obviously still concerned but willing to accept Amy's word as she followed him back into the house, and let the simple routine of preparing a meal, followed by Blaze and Sticks to styling her quills and Wild asking for somewhat gruesome details about fighting spiders to ease her mind, even if she did find herself playing with both Sonic's runestone and Shadow's brooch after the children had gone to bed.

The next morning.

Amy found Shadow at the front door, his right hand raised to knock, as she prepared to leave for the day.

"Ah." Shadow said, obviously surprised. "I was wondering if we could go somewhere and talk... only if you want to though, I'm not…"

Amy couldn't help a small smile at Shadow's uncharacteristic babbling. "I think that talking is a good idea." she said.

Amy grabbed her bow and arrows with her left hand in case they came across any more game, and then they walked together through Chaos City. From left to right, Shadow and Amy were walking together. Shadow called out greetings to some of the Mobius workers, and Amy nodded at those who waved at her, but between them was silence.

It wasn't until they reached the rabbit snares that Amy had set out the previous day that Shadow spoke, looking at the trapped rabbit rather than her, pulling out one of his many knives to help prepare them.

"I think that there has been some sort of misunderstanding between us." Shadow said.

"Yes, I think so too." Amy said. "What-" but she was cut off.

"How-" Shadow asked at the same time.

Shadow and Amy laughed and the awkwardness between them was breaking.

"What were you going to say?" Amy asked, still laughing.

"How many spouses do Little Planet's animals have?" Shadow asked. "Just the one?"

"Yes." Amy said quietly. "Just one, for our whole lives, no matter how long we spend apart or if one of us dies."

"It's a little different for Mobians." Shadow said. "With us, it's not uncommon for brothers to court the same person, though once a Mobian falls in love, their feelings never change."

Amy stared at Shadow, the rabbits forgotten. "I see…" she said.

Amy couldn't get her head around it as it was completely foreign to her.

Shadow was watching Amy carefully. "Does that idea disgust you?" he asked, his voice neutral but his ruby red eyes sharp.

Amy shook her head 'no' instantly. "No." she said. "It's just…strange to me."

Amy was turning the pieces around in her mind, trying to get it to fit with what little she knew of Mobius culture, which she had discovered after meeting Sonic, was cheerfully tall and mostly accurate.

Shadow laughed a little. "I suppose it is strange, if you are not used to it. I think it's strange the other way round. For us though, it's quite sensible. The tradition started way back, because there are fewer Mobian girl – female Mobians – than there are males, and not every one of those is interested in marriage. "

"That is reasonable." Amy said.

Once Amy knew the reasons behind it, the tradition made sense, especially among the practically minded Mobians. "Is it only brothers that court together? And only woman – dams? –that take two husbands?" she asked.

"Oh no." Shadow said. "It's the most common, but certainly not the only way it has to be. While it's usually brothers, it could also be cousins, or very old friends, or two who are already lovers. Any two Mobians, really, that know each other well enough to spend a life together, whether or not they are already, or ever will be, a couple."

"I... see." Amy said slowly.

"And it's not unheard of at all for two Mobians to court another male, or two dams another dam, though that's a bit rarer. Maximillian's two eldest daughters are courting Luger's youngest daughter, and last I heard they were looking around for a Mobian of good standing who wants to be a father but not a husband to help them get with child." Shadow said. "Most Mobians care little about whatever gender– if any–their partners are."

"I think I understand." Amy said slowly, still trying to take it all in.

Amy's right hand crept up to toy with her brooch as she thought.

"I can't help but notice that you are still wearing the brooch," Shadow said quietly. "I will not hold you to an offer that you didn't know you were accepting..."

"Shadow." Amy said, interrupting the Ultimate Life Form, struck by a sudden thought. "Did you make me this offer because of Sonic? Or because you are following your people's traditions? Or because you wanted to?"

Despite all Amy's confusion, she didn't want to be courted by anyone who didn't really want her.

Shadow looked surprised at Amy's outspoken question, and took a long moment to consider his words.

"Sonic knew how he felt about you the first moment he saw with you, Rose." Shadow said to Amy quietly.

Amy stared at Shadow wide eyed.

"Some Mobians love like that, instantly and irreversibly. I am not like him." Shadow said. "But I am fond of you, and not just for Sonic's sake, or because you saved his life or my life." as if that were a lesser accomplishment. "I would like the chance to court you to see what could grow between us."

"That seems fair." Amy said.

Shadow grinned.

"But I have one last question if we decide that we are not a suitable match, what happens then, to us, and between you and Sonic?" Amy asked.

"If we decide that we are not suited." Shadow said with a small smile. "We part way as friends, with no blame laid on either of us. We would not be forced to marry just to follow the tradition, as you know, Luger is married, yet, Zachary is not. He was only ever interested in his craft, and no one would have forced him to marry when he did not want to, or Luger to remain unmarried because his brother prefers it that way." he paused as Amy nodded her understanding. "And as for Sonic and myself, he is my younger brother. I have loved him since before he was born. There is nothing that will ever change that."

"That's good to know." Amy said, relieved.

Amy hated the thought of there being any conflict between them, especially not for her sake.

"So." Shadow asked carefully. "Now that you know what the brooch means, will you wear it?"

"I…" Amy said, trailing off, watching as Shadow's face fell a little, though he tried to hide it. "I'm not very good at this."

"What do you mean?" Shadow asked carefully, his right hand coming down to toy with the knife at his right hip.

"When I was a Hill Top Village Guard, I didn't… I was focused on my duty, and then I was made Guard Captain and… I never thought that I would…" Amy said trailing off again, embarrassed.

But Shadow didn't tease Amy, just nodded encouragingly.

"What I am trying to say." Amy said. "Is that matters of love, and courtship are new to me. Meeting Sonic was a shock in more than one way."

Shadow laughed, and suddenly Amy knew exactly what she wanted to say.

"I'd be honored to wear it." Amy said, earnestly. "I also care for you a great deal, and I would like to know what there could be between us."

Shadow already bright smile grew even wider and Amy felt warm at the knowledge that she had caused it.

"I only ask that you inform me if it seems that there are any other traditions that I am going to be unfamiliar with. And have patience with me, as I am still getting used to this." Amy said.

"That's seems more than fair." Shadow said, his grin not dampening at all. "But I also should ask how marriage is done among your people, I would like to make you as comfortable as possible."

"Well." Amy said slowly. "Among my people courting is quite informal, we have centuries to get to know each other, after all. We don't have any ceremonies or anything, the first time a couple…" trailing off, suddenly awkward. "The first time they lie together they are considered married."

Shadow's eyebrows rose and his pleased grin turned wicked. "So we would both have to lie with you at the same time to be considered married? I'm sure we can figure something out." he said.

Amy felt her face heat up and she turned back to the snared rabbits on the left side.

"You're blushing!" Shadow said, observing in delight. "I didn't even know Little Planet's animals could blush!"

"You're terrible." Amy said, muttering.

Shadow laughed.

"Come on, let's finish these." Shadow said. "Espio told me to invite you for dinner, if you'd like, and we should tell Sonic what's happening before he wears a hole in the floor with his pacing."

Sonic could obviously tell from the moment he and Shadow both arrived in Mount Splatterhorn that they had managed to resolve the misunderstanding, because he threw his arms around them both in a massive relieved hug.

...

Evening.

The dinner that evening was as fine as any other Amy would had in Mount Splatterhorn, the last awkwardness she always felt as she first entered faded away as Shadow sat on her left side and Sonic sat on her right side she sat with Shadow and Sonic, helping Ori practice his Sindarin.

Later, when the meal was finished, the dishes, miraculously unbroken, were cleared away, and the Mobians had broken out their instruments, Amy overheard Espio ask Charles quietly.

"So, both of the boys are courting Amy?" Espio asked.

"Yes." Charles said.

Amy couldn't tell if Charles's answer was a grumble or merely low.

"And… that's alright?" Espio asked, sounding as confused as Amy had been earlier.

"Is that not done amongst animals?" Charles asked.

Espio laughed.

"Animals are polite enough to know that what goes on behind closed doors among adults is none of our business, even if we are nosy enough to speculate about it over afternoon tea." Espio said, sounding amused. "I just don't want any of them to get hurt."

"They won't." Charles said to Espio, his voice warmer than she'd ever heard. "It's not uncommon among Mobians–the same dam married Raphael and Maximillian."

"Really?" Espio asked. "That explains a lot, I just thought that I'd misheard whenever they mentioned her name."

Charles chuckled. "I promise you, everything will be fine." he said.

Amy relaxed then, watching as Shadow and Sonic played their fiddles, and Raphael danced along.

If Charles thought that everything would be alright between them, then Amy had a lot more confidence herself that it would.

When the party was in full swing, and they could slip away unnoticed, Sonic took Amy's left hand with his right hand and led her deeper into the heart of the mountain. Amy didn't mention her discomfort, but Sonic must have known because he squeezed her hand tightly and didn't let go.

"We want to show you something." Sonic said to Amy. "We're not far away now."

This deep within the mountain it was dark, even for her Little Planet's eyesight, with only the occasional torch to light the way. But Amy could hear the sound of running water get louder.

"Is that a waterfall?" Amy asked.

But Sonic only grinned and didn't answer.

"Here we are." Sonic said.

Shadow emerged from around a right corner, obviously waiting for them. Sonic had to duck his head under a beam as Amy stared in utter shock.

"This is the Emerald River." Shadow said to Amy with a small smile. "Its source is just ahead, but from here…" trailing off, waving Amy's right hand with his left hand.

From left to right, Sonic, Amy, and Shadow were standing, the water was tumbling through a high break in the cavern wall, and at this time, the moonlight made the water shine silver.

"It's beautiful." Amy said, her voice caught in her throat.

The fact that Shadow and Sonic had known that Amy would like this left her feeling incredibly touched.

"We thought you'd like it." Sonic said, squeezing Amy's left hand with his right again.

"We know that you find the idea of living in Mount Splatterhorn difficult." Shadow said. "We want you to know that there are things here that you'll like."

"I know there are at least 2 things I like here." Amy said.

Amy was only not embarrassed when she saw how pleased the Ultimate Lifeform and World's Fastest Hedgehogs were at her words.

Shadow, Amy, Sonic exchanged a glance between them, one that was surprisingly nervous, and then Sonic said.

"There is a special ring that Mobians put in each other's quills when they are courting, we were hoping that you would let us put one in yours."

"You'll have to show me what to do." Amy said, perching on a rock so the 3 of them could reach her quills properly.

"I'll show you." Sonic said. "Shadow's hopeless at braiding."

"Hopeless is a strong word. You're not much better." Shadow said.

Sonic snorted.

"Who do think does his quills for him? And why do you think that I don't bother with mine?" Sonic asked.

Shadow and Sonic's fond bickering made Amy smile as they put 2 medium sized golden rings in her quills, three small plaits – one for each of them - to make up one larger one, before repeating it for both of them. Amy reached up and touched it carefully with her both hands, noticing that they were Zachary the same.

"Thank you." Amy said, not sure if she what exactly she was thanking Shadow and Sonic for, but knowing that she meant it.

Shadow and Sonic must have understood, because they sprawled next to Amy and half on top of each other, and they stayed long after the moonlight faded from the waterfall and the only light came from the torches.

Amy saw Shadow and Sonic almost every day after that, usually together, but sometimes one or the other of them were caught up in their duties in Mount Splatterhorn as they would often Zachary her working in Chaos City or hunting, occasionally setting up an archery or knife-throwing competition. Sometimes Shaow and Sonic would camp overnight, and Amy would listen to their stories about Pachacamac, and their family, and the journey to Mount Splatterhorn. Amy would tell them about her life in the Little Planet Realm, the endless battles with the spiders, and about how much she had wanted to see beyond their boarders. Amy found herself spending more time in Mount Splatterhorn, and she was slowly learning to see the beauty in the stone (and they understood that she would always prefer the starlight).

Amy was starting to be unable to picture her life without them in it.

Amy had realized long before, when she'd heard that Sonic had been hit with a Morgul arrow that she had loved him. Amy had felt a strange recognition in their first meeting, a strong bond with someone who many people would assume should be her enemy as her feelings for Shadow were different, slower to develop, based around friendship and admiration, but were steady and strong. However, Amy had a similar moment of revelation about Shadow when they were stopped in the marketplace of Chaos City by a delegation from Hill Top Village.

"Ray." Amy said in surprise, of course recognizing one of Jules's guards. "It has been so long'."

"Amy." Ray said with a nod of his head. "I come with a message from King Jules."

"Really?" Amy said in surprise. Jules was not usually one to go back on his word lightly, especially not after she had so openly defied him.

"He has heard that you are associated with not just one, but two Mobians. If you cease all ties with them, he will welcome you back into the Mobius Court." Ray said.

Amy heard Shadow stir behind her, grabbing Sonic's left arm as he went to intervene, but she didn't stop to consider her answer.

"No." Amy said, unhesitatingly. "I will not."

Ray's nose wrinkled slightly. "They have corrupted you." he said, disgusted.

"They have done no such thing." Amy said, angrily. "I love them, and they love me."

Ray sighed deeply. "They will die, Amy Rose, and the century you have spent with them will seem like nothing at all. You will not even be reunited with them after death." he said.

"If I only have a century with them, then I will treasure every moment." Amy said firmly.

Amy saw Shadow and Sonic stand at either side of her, supporting her.

Ray sighed. "I have my answer then. You know what to do if you change your mind." he said.

"I won't." Amy said.

Amy watched as Ray nodded regretfully and turned away.

"He sounded like he had something spiky stuck up his fur." Sonic said, glaring after Ray.

"You love me?" Shadow asked.

Shadow and Sonic turned to look at Amy, Sonic's frown melting into a smile, one that Amy couldn't help but mirror.

"Of course I do." Amy said.

Amy stood up on her tippy toes to kiss Shadow in the middle of the marketplace while Sonic cheered alongside them.

"I love you too." Shadow said, almost lost in the noise.

"Espio thinks that Jules is just concerned for you, but that he will come round." Shadow said to Amy comfortingly when he pulled back, his hands still on her hips. "He's invited him to our wedding, when we're ready for one anyway, along with Scourge." he wrinkled his nose, not entirely able to hide what he thought of that.

"I bet Charles's thrilled." Amy said with a little laugh.

Amy didn't regret her choice to leave, not in the slightest, but she did miss Jules and Scourge, and she did hope that their estrangement would not last long, not the lifetime of her lovers, certainly.

"Yeah, he's ecstatic." Shadow said, rolling his eyes.

"While we're happy to get Little Planet married to you any time you like, the others will be very unhappy if we miss out on the chance to have a party." Sonic said to Amy, smirking a little.

Amy smiled brightly as Shadow swatted at Sonic with his right hand.

Sonic dodged out of the way, laughing. "Maximillian is already planning a cake!" he said, all wounded innocence and mischievous eyes. "And Simon has already designed all the decorations. I'm only thinking of them!"

The idea of courting two people, loving two people, had been utterly alien to Amy at first, but now, as she watched Shadow and Sonic, bright and laughing and happy, she could not picture her life without either of them in it.

In her heart, Amy knew that Ray wasn't entirely wrong, he was wrong about Shadow and Sonic corrupting her, of course, but not about them only having a century or so together, but as strange as their courtship had been at the beginning, she was happier now than they had ever been, and if she only had a century with them, she did not want to waste any time with hesitation.

* * *

End of Chapter 2.

Please Review.

No Flames.


End file.
